The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically transferring and accumulating groups of flaccid articles, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for automatically transferring and accumulating groups of flaccid articles, such as pantyhose or other hosiery or similar articles, between loading and unloading stations and to and from intermediate accumulating stations.
There are several known devices for the automatic transfer of pantyhose of similar tubular articles from one processing machine to another. For example, Patent BE 070,813 discloses a device for the transfer of pantyhose from an automatic sewing machine that initially forms the pantyhose to a sewing machine that inserts gussets. Patent BE 136,391 discloses a device for the transfer of pantyhose from a sewing machine that initially forms the pantyhose to a toe-closing machine, as well as a device for the transfer of pantyhose from a toe-closing machine to a gusset sewing machine. Patent BE 057,055 and Patent IT 9434-A/87 disclose devices for the transfer of pantyhose from a toe-closing machine to a machine for further processing.
A problem common to most of these prior devices is that the transfer from machine to machine is direct, such that when one of the machines is stopped temporarily, as occurs periodically for various reasons, the other machine must be stopped also due to the direct linkage of the transfer of articles by the transferring device. In this regard, the prior devices are not adaptable to transferring articles between machines having different production rates; therefore, the production rate of the machine capable of faster production must be slowed to that of the slower operating machine. Further, the prior devices are not adaptable to transferring between different numbers of machines, such as from one machine to two machines or vice versa. These disadvantages have an adverse effect on the efficiency of the production of the overall system, which is obviously undesirable in present day manufacturing.